Find a quiet time and place to pray... take a few deep breaths...
be still... and know that God is near...
A word to reflect on:
Teach me your ways, O Lord,
and show me your paths...
- Psalm 25
I need you to teach me your ways, Lord,
because I keep getting lost...
I must have a terrible sense of direction!
Over and over, I find myself
turning right when I should make a left,
heading north when I should go south,
missing the arrow on a one-way street,
traveling in circles and winding up
where I first began which was the very place
I wanted to leave...
Teach me your ways, O Lord,
and show me your paths...
The signs are all there, Lord, but I get distracted;
I don't pay attention; my mind wanders;
I trust my own compass and that's a mistake:
the needle's true north is tricked by my pride and my fear;
my needs and desires create a false field and soon enough
I'm drawn from the path I wanted to walk,
the way you taught me to follow...
Teach me your ways, O Lord,
and show me your paths...
And so many times I find myself lost
in places where I've been lost before...
So often, Lord, I know I'm turning the wrong way
and sense inside that another way's better
and still, I turn the wrong way...
Do I choose to get lost?
Am I turning away
from the path, the journey you've charted for me?
Why don't I follow the signs you lay out
to give me direction and warnings for safety,
to show me the way that leads to your peace?
Teach me your ways, O Lord,
and show me your paths...
I've got maps in my pocket, in my heart and my mind:
your word and your wisdom marking the way
that keeps me from harm and gives me direction,
making simple and clear the road I should take...
Teach me your ways, O Lord,
and show me your paths...
Teach me, Lord, the way I should go
and sharpen my instinct to turn from harm's way
to avoid the paths that end in darkness...
Teach me, Lord, to follow your map, not mine:
to surrender my faulty compass and trust your Spirit
to guide me where you'd have me go,
along the route that leads me safely, swiftly to your peace...
Teach me, Lord, to want to follow your ways,
to desire to walk the path that's yours
with its twists and turns, its ups and downs,
its hills and valleys and its broad plains;
teach me to walk in your footsteps, Lord,
even when your path is difficult, demanding
and not the way I might choose...
Teach me to lean on you, Lord,
when the way is rough and my soul is tired;
when the road seems endless
and the journey drains my spirit and my strength:
be there to lift and refresh me,
to remind me that you're always by my side...
Teach me your ways, O Lord;
teach me your paths...
In the quiet of my prayer, Lord,
Teach me your ways, O Lord,
and show me your paths...
- Psalm 25
(Before moving on to the reflection below,
spend some quiet time with the scripture verse above...)
I need you to teach me your ways, Lord,
because I keep getting lost...
I must have a terrible sense of direction!
Over and over, I find myself
turning right when I should make a left,
heading north when I should go south,
missing the arrow on a one-way street,
traveling in circles and winding up
where I first began which was the very place
I wanted to leave...
Teach me your ways, O Lord,
and show me your paths...
The signs are all there, Lord, but I get distracted;
I don't pay attention; my mind wanders;
I trust my own compass and that's a mistake:
the needle's true north is tricked by my pride and my fear;
my needs and desires create a false field and soon enough
I'm drawn from the path I wanted to walk,
the way you taught me to follow...
Teach me your ways, O Lord,
and show me your paths...
And so many times I find myself lost
in places where I've been lost before...
So often, Lord, I know I'm turning the wrong way
and sense inside that another way's better
and still, I turn the wrong way...
Do I choose to get lost?
Am I turning away
from the path, the journey you've charted for me?
Why don't I follow the signs you lay out
to give me direction and warnings for safety,
to show me the way that leads to your peace?
Teach me your ways, O Lord,
and show me your paths...
I've got maps in my pocket, in my heart and my mind:
your word and your wisdom marking the way
that keeps me from harm and gives me direction,
making simple and clear the road I should take...
Teach me your ways, O Lord,
and show me your paths...
Teach me, Lord, the way I should go
and sharpen my instinct to turn from harm's way
to avoid the paths that end in darkness...
Teach me, Lord, to follow your map, not mine:
to surrender my faulty compass and trust your Spirit
to guide me where you'd have me go,
along the route that leads me safely, swiftly to your peace...
Teach me, Lord, to want to follow your ways,
to desire to walk the path that's yours
with its twists and turns, its ups and downs,
its hills and valleys and its broad plains;
teach me to walk in your footsteps, Lord,
even when your path is difficult, demanding
and not the way I might choose...
Teach me to lean on you, Lord,
when the way is rough and my soul is tired;
when the road seems endless
and the journey drains my spirit and my strength:
be there to lift and refresh me,
to remind me that you're always by my side...
Teach me your ways, O Lord;
teach me your paths...
In the quiet of my prayer, Lord,
sit with me and help me know where I am:
where I've come from, how I got here,
where I'm heading, where you draw me
and how, with your help, I'll get there...
In the stillness by the roadside, here in my prayer,
give me a glimpse of the map of my life;
let me see how you've been there every step along the way:
when I followed your directions and when I went astray...
Teach me your ways, O Lord,
and show me your paths...
With your Spirit as my compass, Lord,
In the stillness by the roadside, here in my prayer,
give me a glimpse of the map of my life;
let me see how you've been there every step along the way:
when I followed your directions and when I went astray...
Teach me your ways, O Lord,
and show me your paths...
With your Spirit as my compass, Lord,
help me find the way, the path that's mine,
the road that leads me to your peace...
Teach me your ways, O Lord,
and show me your paths...
Teach me your ways, O Lord,
and show me your paths...
To ponder and pray over...
Do I get lost on my spiritual journey?Do I travel in circles
that bring me back to places I want to leave behind?
What in my life confuses the needle of my own compass?
In what different directions might the Spirit's compass lead me?
What will I ask of the Lord today?
From this prayer time, what word or phrase will I keep with me
to carry through the rest of my day?
From this prayer time, what word or phrase will I keep with me
to carry through the rest of my day?
(After you spend some time with these questions,
pray the reflection above one more time...)
Here are some tips
for praying 10 minutes a day. If you find these daily prayer
reminders helpful, please let me know - and share them with others.
You'll find an archive of these daily posts here.
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